Empty chairs bring awareness about domestic violence

St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center is bringing awareness about domestic violence with empty chairs for the rest of October.

“If there’s domestic violence in a household, you could potentially have an empty chair because of the domestic violence,” Chief Nursing Officer Donna Fisher said, explaining the purpose of the national program called the Empty Chair Campaign.

“It truly is about how we educate people on how to recognize it and break the cycle,” she said.

Rebecca, who didn’t want her last name revealed, is a domestic violence survivor. She said it was a traumatic experience.

“I have two children and it was hard for them to see that and for them to be around. That is the reason why I left was for my babies,” she said.

She said places like the YWCA helped her through her dark days and stepped in to find her a new home.

“I’m so thankful for the places that women can go to get away from it, because I might not be alive if I hadn’t got away from my husband,” Rebecca said.

St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center said three in eight people will be a victim of domestic violence in Pueblo County.